Method and apparatus for severing molten glass



Feb. 25, 1930 F G. R. HAUB METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEVERING MOLTEN GLASS Filed July 29. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet attain up G. R. 'HAUB Feb. 25, 1930.

Filed July 29. 1927 2 Sheets-Shee Patented- Feb. 1930 r UNITED "PATENT "OFFICE i eEonqE R. nAnB or SHINGTON, PfiNZNSYLVANIA, AssIGnoR iro IIAzEL-A LAs; I

GLASS or wHEELING, wEsT VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION or WEST VIRGINIA I METHOD-ANIl) AIrARA rUs roI't sEvEBIN mum-ems Application filed iul 'ze, 1927. Serial Ira-269,345. 7 i

In thesevering of molten glass to form as itilets go. This wassupposedto beaccommold charges, the universal practice has been plished by raising the tem erature above the to employ shears, While the use of shears ordinary temperat e" of a glass-charge, so has been largely satisfactory, 'yet it has one that the glass woul act as an ordinary liquid very objectionable feature. in that' it usually having 'no viscosity or ability to hold toresults in theformation of shear marks in getherJ/This has been a failure because, it the finished article. It is wellknown, of has been impossible to attain a temperature course, that this is due to the glass-becoming of sufficient intensity, in sucha small area chilled by contact with the metal shears. that it would cut a gob quick enough'to be 'Not only is the upper end of the severed successful. Obviously the severing must be gob thus chilled, but also the lower end of the remaining stub. Y

Great effort has been made to eliminate the 5 shear marks, and to some extent this has been 1 accomplished by neclnfng-in the glass, thereby reducing the cross-sectional glass through which the shears must pass.

7 But thisha's not eliminated the shear marks,

it has Inerelyreduced the efi'ect thereof. The

glass is still chilled, but the extent of chilling i has been reduced. Iniorder that shear marks may be wholly eliminated it is necessary to eliminate the shears, for so long as relatively 5 cold metal comes into contact with molten glass, the chilling eifectthereof is'bound to be more or less apparent in the finished articles. -J

I am aware that many attempts have been made'to avoid the use ef'shearsby employ- 0 ingfa flame or compressed air, But so far as I know all of these attempts have failed,

' for reasons well known to those skilleddn the glass art.

For example, the various attempts to cut on a gob by compressed: air have failed for .the .reason that when air is-bl own onto the hot glass it quickly chills the glass and forms a skin on it at the'pointwhere the cutis being attempted, thereby causingthe glass to 40 hold together and successfully resist thecutting action. Inother words the viscosity of the glass rapidly increases with a decrease in temperature, and, of course, the viscosity increase makes the severing more difficult.

45 The fl'orts' to cut molten glass by means of a -flame have also ffailed. In these attempts a steady, short, sharp flame was employed, to

" melt the glass within a very small area," so

that the weight of the glass whichis below itw l pull it ofigt e flame assisting t glass area of the substantially. instantaneous, or therev will be glass st'rlngs and various other objectionable features which would make it wholly imprac-.

ticable. 7

' I the present invention an explosivemixture isemployed for severing the glassl The detonation of thG GXPlQSlVQ-mlXtHIQ of gas and air, orother mixture, gives a streamof the products-ejcombustion and unburned l gases much stronger than ,that obtainable by ordlnar mechanical means. Then too, the detonation raises the temperature of the gases above'the softening point of the glass, so that the glassis cut by the onrushing knife of gas; the heat also assists in severing the glass by locally cutting down thetenacity and viscosity ofthe. gob -as it leaves the flow orifice bushing. Also considerable benefit obtained by the fa'ctfthat the gob is cut, not at a distance from the bushing,'butprefer-- ably right 'from'the bottom face of it where the glass is'coming from the flow spout still hot and withoutany chilled skin on itssur To sever molten glass by flame or the like,

guished from continuops flames; the severing must be si bstantially instantaneous; the severing flame or fluid must be extremelythin or knife like the severing flame or fluid must be at a very high temperature and the severing flame or fluid. must be under great -pres sure, -As far as I knovv these-essentials have never been present In any devlce heretofore;

severed, thereby producing a; kmfe like sheet 100 there are five essential the fiame or fluid must be intermittently applied as distin-- of flame at high temperatureand under high Y pressure. v

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, when .tion isinno manner limited tothe taken I in connection with the accompanying drawings; but it is to be noted that the invenparticular mechanism shown herein.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through aconventional form of flow spout and showing the novel shearing means in place thereon.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device as shown'in Figure 1; and Figure 3 isa fragmentary sectional view of a modified construction. I

Referring to the drawings in more detail, numeral 1 designates the conventional type of flow spout -of refractory 'material and having the ordinary metalcasing 2, refractory cover 3, and a packing of heat insulatingmaterial l disposed between the metal, casing and the flow spout. The flow spo utis also provided with the usual flow orifice 5 through which the molten glas's'is fed tothe molds.

Numeral 6 indicates a plug in alignment with the flow orifice and serving to regulate the flow of glass through the orifice 5. The plug may be stationary but vertically adj ustable with'respect to the orifice oroutlet 5,01. the plug may be vertically reciprocated in the well known manner, or a pneumatic control may be substituted for the plug. In other words the present method of severing is adaptable to any feeder; and as no scar is formed by this method'of severing it is not as important to neck-in the glass, as in the prior practice. I

Bolted to the bottom of the casing 2 of the flow spout as by. means of bolts 7 is the upper wall 8 of the explosion chamber; This wall 8 also serves as a support for the bushing 9 and it will be apparent that the bushing may be easily removed for re wal or for the substitution ,of a bushing 0 different size by -merely removing, the ,wall 8 and the parts hereinafter described which are attached thereto. The wall 8 is of annular shape so as to encirclethe flow orifice and is provided with an inwardly-directed, horizontally-dis posed flange or extension 10 which serves as a guide for the explosive fluid as will be later described.

A cylindrical wall 11 is also formed on the wall 8 and in effedt constitutesla cylinder, in which is located the bottom "wall'12. This bottom wall 12 is really a piston, but is in the form of an annulusqao permit the glass to flow therethrough. The outer edge of. the

wall or piston 12 is provided with packing or piston rings 13 which serve to provide a gastight contact between this wall and the inner surface of thecylinder. The. piston is adapted to have a slight vertical movement inthe cylinder 11 and is'provided with an inwardlythickness.

directed, horizontally disposed flange or ex 5 the explosive fluid and which is normally held in contact with the guide flange 10 by a mechanism to be 'now described. As will appear from an inspection of the drawings, .the bush-' ing 9 extends inwardly slightly beyondthe inner peripheryof the horizontal flanges 10 tension 14 which also'serves as a guide for' and 1 1. This is the preferable construction,

means desired althou h-in? the present instance I have disclosed for this purpose an air cylinder19'provided with a piston-20 and piston rod 21 rigidly connected with the member 17.' The pipe connections for this cylinder are not shown but 'it is to be understood that they are of usual form and'connected up with the main air lines and timing valves so as to properly synchronize this element withthe other ing machine, etc.-

. Obviously, as the piston 20 is moved to the right l), the pressure of the wedges 16 against the wedges 15 is removed to a greater or less extent, dependingupon. the amount of movement of the piston 20, and

parts of the feeder, form- .a the wall 12 is .free to 'move downwardly.

thereby creating an annular space between the guide flanges 10 and 14.- and permitting .the escape of the explosive'fluid within the explosion chamber A in a thin sheet and directing it into contact with the molten glass,

protruding through the outlet-5. It is tobe understood that'thefianges 10 and 14 are normally forced tightly together so as to -prevent the escape of the explosive mixture and that the extent of movement of the lower flange 14 may be varied so as to obtain a sheet or jetof explosive fluid of the desired Associated with the explosion chamber A is a pair of valves 22 and 23 which con-.

trol the admission of oxygen and-acetylene to the explosion chamber. Other gases, of course, may be employed, and instead of providing'two valves it may be found de-- sirable to employ a single valve and mix the gases prior to their entrance into the explosion chamber. In the embodiment shown, the valves 22 and 23 are normally held in closed position by means of coil springs 24,

which are seated on washers 31. For open ing the valves an air cylinder 25 is permanently mounted on the bottom of the casing 3, and is provided with a piston 26 and piston rod 27. Pinned to the outer end or head 28 of thepiston rod 27 is a cross-bar 29, to

: ;will be closed by the springs 24, when the piston rod 27 is moved inthe opposite direction to release the valve stems.

Referring to Figure 2, the numerals 32 and 33 indicate storage tanks for the: gases Jemployed in the severing operation, while the numerals 34 and 35- designate pressure regulators provided with gauges 36 and 37.

v Pipes or mains 38 ando39 lead from the presthe operation of the valves 40 wedges 15.

pressure and consequently will make a clean sure regulators to the mechanically-operated valves 22 and 23, and manually operated valves 40 and 41 may be provided for regulating the volume of the gases or for shutting for operating the' valves 22 and 23 is connected up with the main airlines and isassociated with the usual timing igevi'ce whereby i synchronized with movement of tlfe wedge member 17 as well as with the formi'ngmachine, etc.

In the operation of the severingmeans as disclosed 'in Figs. 1 and 2, the, forming Ina- 25 chine, etc., are setin operation in the usual man'nenand, the. pressure and volume of the explosive gases regulated by the means described, 'to suit .the prevailing conditions of the molten glass, such as the temperature of some glass, the cross-sectional area of the glass to be severed, and .othervarying conditions. .The .valves" 22 23 having been opened in the manner described, by piston 27 and bar 29, gas is admitte'drinto chamber A and the valves then closed by springs 24,

. the'bar 29 having been withdrawn to inoperativeposition. liston' 20' is now moved to the right (Fig. 1), thereby moving wedges 16 to-the right torelieve pressure on the will then produce a slight downward movement of the bottom'wall 12 off-the explosion chamber, the wall 12 being in effect a piston operating within the cylindrical wall 11. Of

45 .course, the extent of downward movement will be extremely slight, and if desired, any Suitable means -may beemployed to vary the extent of such moveme nt, by adjusting the .outer limit of movement of piston 20.

As the wall 12 moves downwardly an annular passage, is provided between the guide flanges 10 and 14 and a thin knife-like sheet of the explosive mixture is'forced therethrough into.contact with the molten glass projecting downwardly through'the outlet.

Contact of the gases with th glass will cause immediate explosion-of t e gases in the chamber A thereby forcing a thin sheet of the products of combustion through the'c'ol-, G0 umn of glass and severing that portion of the glass below theflanges 10-14 from themain body of glass.- Thev thin sheet of gas flames projected between the flanges 10-14' is at an extremely-highv temperature and Gas pressure in chamber A.

able extent reason of the fact that the v I glass is severed practicallyat the lower face of the bushing; but, of course, the invention is not limited to severing at that point. It should be here noted that this method of severing themolten glass notonly eliminates shearmarlis' in the finished ware by avoiding the chilling of the top of the severed gob, but also by avoiding "the chilling of the end of the remaining stub. i 2

After the charge of glass has been severed as described the piston 2Q is moved to the left (Fig; 1) in theperiodic operation ofthe mechanism thereby raisin the wall or piston 12 and bringing the anges' 10-14 1nto gas-tight engagemeilt; after which the entire operation is repeated periodically at;

the desired speed.

The

It is needless to say that the operation of; the forming machine, the feeding of; the

-glass, and the operation of the cylinders 19 and 25, are all in: the desired. timed relation. In the modifi ed form of the' invention shown in Figure3 the explosivegases are ignited by an electric spark such as is common in the operation ofgasoline engines. The modified form employs the identical form'of combustion chamber heretofore-describedanddilfers from the first form'in that i i no positive means'is required'in' operating the wedge member 17 to release the piston or bottom wall 12 ofthe combustion'chamber.

of; the piston rod 21 for operating the wedge member 17 I provide a guide 'rod51 which is slidably mounted in 'a bracket 52 depending from the body of the mechanism. A coil spring 53 encircles the rod and normally forces it to the left (Fig. 3) so as to cause the wedges 16 to coact with the wedges 15 to force the'piston 12 to the upper limit of its v verticalemovefiient. Obviously, in this form of the invention it is not necessary that the wall 12 be moved downwardly prio'r to the explosion of the gases since contact of the gases with the molten glass is not relied upon in causing the explosion. On the contrary,

'the explosion which is caused by the spark plug 50 will, through its own explosisae force,"

force the wall 12 downwardly, at the saI1'1 6 time-causing the wedge member 17 to move 53. The thickness of the sheet of flame projected through and across the column of glass will, of course, depend upon the extent vto theri'ght against the pressure of spring j' of movement of the bottom member and this may be varied by regulating the compression; on spring 53 or by substituting a stronger 5 spring. Also, any positive and adjustable means may be employed for positively limiting the downward movement. After the explosion of the gases the spring 53 will return member 17 to its normal positioli' thus forcing-the wall 12 upwardly so that its flange IIlIbOtll forms ofthe invention it should be noted that the cylinder and ,related parts for operating the valves 22 and 23 are entirely separate from the explosion cham- {.15 her, outlet bushing,-etc., and that it is acom v paratively simple fmatter to change bushings from time to time as desired, since it is only necessary to remove the several bolts by means of which-the upper plate8 ofthe combustion chamber is secured to'the bottom of the flow spout. v

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have devised a practical method and apparatus for severing glass other metallic severing devices into contact with the glass; and thereby wholly eliminating the objectionable shear marks. Of

have been made to sever. glass by flame, etc., but so far as I know such attempts have always failed; for reasons well known to those skilled in the glass art. The present device o erates on an entirely different principle from anything heretofore suggested, and by reason of the intermittent application of a knife-like sheet of flame at extremely high pressure-and temperature, I am able to sever the glassycleanly and instantaneously, with- 4010111, producing shear marks, and without any objectionable features." I a While Ihave shown and described a specific form of apparatus, it isto be understood that this ismer'ely for illustrative purposes, and that the invention relates broadly to a method and means of severing molten glass .by an explosive mixture, and accordinglythe claimsare not to be limitedto any specific mechanism.

lNhatI claim is:

an outlet, and means for radially directing a thin annular sheet of an explosive mixture prior to-ingition, into contact with the glass,

7 across the face of said outlet, said means be-' 14 is in'sealingcontact with the flanges 10 means .for intermittently operating said without the necessity of bringing shears or;

course, I am aware that numerous attempts- I 1.'In a glass. feed,er,' a""flow spout having,

the face of said outlet, said means being op jacent said outlet, said chamberprovidedwith a movable wall to permit the exit of said fluid .from the chamber and across the face of the outlet. I I v 4. Ina glass feeder, a fiowspout having an outlet, an'annular chamber for an explosive ,fluid' adjacent said outlet, said chambercomprising a fixed and a movable member, said -members being so shaped as to direct the ex- 'plosive fluid across the face of the outlet when the movable member ismoved away from the fix'ed member. 4

5. In a glass feeder, a flow spout having an outlet, an annular chamber for an explosive fluid adjacent said outlet, means for radially directing said fluid in a thin sheet, into contact with the glass, across the face of said outlet, valvesfor ad tting a gas and air to said chamber to form an explosive fluid and valves. I

\ 6. Ina glassfeeder, a flow spout having an outlet, a chamber for an explosive fluid adjacent said outlet,n1eans for directin said fluidin' a thin rsheet across the face. 0 said fluid to said chamber and a cylinder and iston for intermittently operating said va ve.

7. In a lass feeder, a flow spout having an outlet, a c amber for an explosive fluid ad-' 5 jacent said outlet, intermittently operated. means for admitting an explosive fluid to said chamber, and means synchronizedwith said first-mentioned means'for. permittin the discharge of's'aid fluid across the face 0 the out- 8. In a glassfeeder, a How spout having anoutlet, a chamber for an explosive fluid adjacent said outlet, said chamber including relativelymovable Walls, intermittently op- 'erated means for admitting an. explosive fluid to saidchamber and means synchronized with said first-mentioned means for moving said walls relatively to-permit the discharge of said fluid from the chamber? 9. In a glass feeder, a flow spout having an outlet, a chamber for-an explosive fluid ade jacent said outlet, intermittently 'eperated 1 means for admitting an explosive fluidto said chamber, means synchronized with said first- 1 15 mentioned means for permitting the discharge of said fluid from the chamber, and guiding means for-clirecting the ffiiid in a thin sheet against the glass protruding from the, outlet. I y

10. In a glass feeder, a flow spout having an outlet, a chamber for an'explosive'fluid surrounding said outlet, said chamber including a movable wall adapted to open the chamber. to permit the escape of the fluid, and means normally holding said wall in closed position. 3 11. In a glass feeder, aflow spout having an. outlet, a chamber for an explosive fluid surrounding said outlet, saidchamber including a movable wall adapted to open the v 90 outlet, a spring-pressed valve for admitting in closed position, and means for operating said wedge member. I Y 12. In a glass feeder, a flow spout having an outlet, a chamber for an explosive fluid surrounding said outlet, including a movable lower wall adapted to open the chamber to permit the escape of the fluid, wedge members normally holding said wall in closed position, and acylinder and piston for periodically reciprocating said wedge imembers to open and close said chamber.

13. In a glass feeder, a flow spout having an outlet, 'a chamber for an explosive fluid surrounding said outlet, including a movable lower wall adapted to openthe chamber to permit the escape-of the fluid, wedge members normally holding said wall in closed .po-

sition, a cylinder and'piston for periodically reciprocating said wedge members, toopen' and close said chamber, and means. synchro- 5 nized with said cylinder and piston for admitting an explosive fluid to said chamber.

14. In a glass feeder, a flow spout, having an outlet, a chamber for an explosive fluid surrounding said outlet, said chamber com prising an annular upper wall, a cylindrical side wall, and an annular lower wall'reciprocably mounted'within said cylindrical side wall. a

15. In a glass feeder, a flow spout having an outlet, a chamber for anexplosive fluid surrounding fsaid outlet, saidchamber com- :5 prising anannular upper wall, a cylindrical sidewall, an annular lower wall reciprocably mounted within said cylindrical wall'and means normally holding said lower wall at with its guide flangesin sealing engagement with the guide flange on the upper wall.

18. In a glass feeder, a flow spout having an outlet, a chamber for an explosive fluid surrounding said outlet, said chamber comprisingan annular upper wall, a cylindrical side Wall, an annular lower wall reciprocably mounted within said cylindrical wall and having gas-tight engagement therewith,

the 'upper limit of; its movement, means periodically releasing the lower wall, and means synchronized therewith for admitting an explosive fluid to the chamber. 7

19. In a glassfeeder, a flow spout having an outlet, a chamber for an explosive fluid surrounding said outlet, said chamber comprising an annular upper wall, a cylindrical side wall, an annular lower wall reciprocably mounted within said cylindrical wall and having gas-tight engagement therewith, means normally holding said lower wall at the upper limit of its movement, means for periodically admitting an explosive fluid to said chamber, and means synchronized therewith for releasing the lower wall and for returning it to'its normal position.

20. The method of severing charges of molten glass which includesflowing-the glass through an outlet, and intermittently directing a thin stream of explosive gases radially against the surface of the glass, thereby igniting the gas and severing the glass.

. GEORGE E; HAUB.

having'gas-tight engagement therewith, and

means normally holding said lower wall at b the upper limit of its movement.

' 16. Ina glass feeder, a flow spout having I an outlet, a chamber for an explosive fluid surrounding saidv outlet, said chamber comprising an annular upper wall, anl inwardly 5 directed extension on said wall, a cylindrical v side wall, an annular lower wall reciprocably mounted-within said cylindrical wall, aninwardly directed extension on said lower wall,

, j'and means normally holdingsaid lower wall 3 0 at the upper limit of its-movement with its extension in engagement with the extension on the upper wall.

17; In a glass feeder, a flow spouthaving an outlet, a chamber for an explosive fluidsurrounding said outlet, said chamber comprising an annular upper wall, an inwardlydirected, horizontally-disposed guide flange on said wall, a cylindrical side wall, anana nular, lower wall reciprocably mounted witha in said cylindrical :wall'and having gas-tightengagement therewith, an inwardly-directed, horizontally-disposed guide. flange on said lower wall, and means normallyholdin-g said 5 lower wall at the upper limit of its movement 

